Growing Peppers Indoors – Guidelines & Tips

If you enjoy adding a variety of peppers to your dishes, then you’ll be pleased to know that you can grow your own peppers indoors. Growing peppers indoors can provide you with fresh peppers right at your fingertips and yields a bountiful harvest in just a few months. With a little bit of patience and some extra gardening care, you can grow your own peppers indoors.

Preparing the Space

When growing peppers indoors, you will need to provide them with the right conditions. The space should be warm, well-lit and be positioned by south or southwest facing windows. If the space lacks good quality light, you may need to provide them with additional lighting with LED grow lamps. Humidity is also important, and it’s best to aim for about 60%.

Choosing the Right Soil

The soil you choose should be well-draining and provide your peppers with plenty of nutrients. A potting soil mix is usually recommended, as it drains efficiently while still providing the right amount of nutrients for your pepper plants. You can also add a slow-release fertilizer to help they get the necessary nutrients.

Seed Selection & Germination

Pepper seeds should be purchased from a reputable dealer and will need to be seed-starting mix to help the germinate. Seeds should not be covered with soil, as they need to receive proper light exposure to germinate. Once the seeds have sprouted, which can take between 7 to 14 days, they can be transferred to a larger pot or planter.

Watering & Fertilizing

Pepper plants will need to be watered regularly, but not to the point of being soggy. As for fertilizing, this should be done every two to four weeks. Choose a balanced fertilizer specifically for peppers and follow the instructions on how much to apply. Pepper plants will need to continue with regular fertilizing until they begin to produce peppers.

Harvesting

As peppers ripen, their colors will change. In the case of bell peppers, they will start green and turn to a reddish-purple tone. Jalapeños will turn from green to red and you can harvest them when they’ve reached the desired maturity. Other types of peppers, such as cayenne, will need to be harvested when they reach their full size.

With a little patience and gardening care, growing peppers indoors can be done successfully. And you will enjoy the freshness of homegrown peppers just steps away from your kitchen.